1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an article that can be used for promotional or advertising purposes, and relates specifically to a promotional mailing article having a printed part which simulates at least a portion of an item having a recognizable, tenderable value, such as, for example, a postage stamp or currency.
2. Description of Related Art
Direct mail promotions, generally consisting of printed materials conveying a promotional message, can be highly effective marketing tools if a consumer's attention is properly drawn to the information conveyed by the promotion. Some promotional mailings comprise a simple postcard conveying apromotional message. Other mailings are more complex, comprising packaging, such as, for example, an envelope, enclosing printed promotional materials in the form of inserts, each conveying one or more promotional messages. The envelope may also contain additional materials, hereinafter referred to as convenience inserts, such as, for example, pre-printed order forms and pre-addressed and postage paid return envelopes for the convenience of consumers who wish to respond to the promotional mailing.
Due to the large volume of direct mail promotions received daily by consumers, direct mail promotions may have limited effectiveness with consumers that perceive the promotional mailings to be a nuisance. These consumers may discard the promotional mailings after merely glancing at the mailing to determine it's origin or nature. This is particularly a problem for more complex mailings delivered in packages because the mailing may be discarded unopened, i.e., before the consumer is exposed to the message conveyed by the promotional material contained in the package. Thus, the promotional message conveyed in the mailing goes unread and unheeded.
Direct mail marketers have found that the effectiveness of a direct mail marketing campaign can be significantly increased by compelling more consumers to actually open a promotional mailing before discarding it, thus drawing the attention of more consumers to the message conveyed by contents of the package. This is accomplished by providing a visual incentive or "reward" to entice the consumer to open the package. To draw the consumer's attention, the "reward" is generally an item having an immediately recognizable, and preferably, a tenderable value. In the context of the present application, "tenderable value" indicates that an item may be redeemable for a known value. Items having tenderable value include, for example, postage stamps, or money in the form of bills or coins. The "reward" item is enclosed in a direct mail package in such a way that the consumer can see the "reward" item by merely glancing at the promotional package, i.e., without first opening the package, but must open the package to have access to the item. Because the consumer can immediately identify the "reward" as an item of value, the consumer is less likely to discard the mailing unopened. Since the consumer must open the promotional package to retrieve the "reward", it is believed that the promotional mailing will be more effective because, by opening the package, the consumer is exposed to the promotional message conveyed by the contents of the package.
Generally, the "reward" is positioned anywhere on or in the package such that it is prominently visible by merely glancing at the outside of the package. Although, the "reward" may be positioned anywhere on or in the package, it is preferably positioned so that it is visible from the front of the package, i.e., the address label side of the package. This is usually accomplished by fastening the "reward" to a piece of promotional material contained in the package such that the "reward" is displayed in an opening or a window on the front of the package. The opening or window may be the address window of the package, or may be another opening or window, such as, for example, a separate window solely for display of the "reward" item.
Although mailings containing a "reward" item have been shown to be effective marketing tools, providing a "reward" item in each package of a promotional mailing can significantly increase the cost of a marketing campaign. For example, each promotional package has a base "per-package" cost computed by adding production costs, i.e., preparing and printing the promotional materials and related convenience items and assembling them in a mail-able promotional package, and mailing costs. The cost of enclosing a "reward" in the package significantly increases the per-package cost of each package. If, for example, the "reward" item is a first class postage stamp, the cost for each promotional package is increased by $0.32. In a marketing campaign involving the mass mailing of large quantities of individual promotional packages, this additional per package cost can significantly increase the cost of the marketing campaign.
As a result, there is a need for an article that will entice consumers to open a promotional package without incurring the high per package cost of enclosing an actual "reward" item.